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AgMag Jr. Lesson & Activity Ideas

Lesson Ideas

Animal Life Cycles

This lesson introduces students to six major livestock species, teaches that animals need air, space, food, water, and shelter to survive, and introduces students to the life cycle of a farm animal.

I'm a MOO-stery

Students will be introduced to the dairy industry and will make observations about how historic tools such as a butter paddle, cheese press, and milk tester can be used to process milk on a dairy farm.

Milk or Meat? Beef or Dairy?

Students will identify the differences between beef and dairy cattle and determine the commodities produced by each type of cattle.

Plant Tops and Bottoms

Students will describe the major parts of plants: roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds. Students will also discover that we eat many of these plant parts every day.

Gardening in a Glove

Students investigate and observe how a seed sprouts and the conditions necessary for this germination process to happen by planting five seeds in the fingers of a clear plastic glove.

Bean Seed Cycle

This lesson introduces students to soybeans grown by farmers, teaches seed anatomy through a seed dissection activity, and illustrates the germination of the soybean plant.

Activity Ideas

  • Better Butter — Directions for making butter in a jar!
  • Investigate your school lunch menu for a specific day or week. Challenge students to identify the foods and ingredients that are from plants and the foods and ingredients that are from animals.
  • Discuss which plants and animals would be grown in Minnesota and which items might be grown in another part of the U.S. or world.
  • Have a Dairy Product Party! Sample various dairy products (milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.) and have students use their senses to describe the taste, texture, smell, appearance, etc. of all the products. You could even make your own ice cream: Ice Cream-in-a-Bag Activity
  • Create a salad or healthy snack that involves eating one or several plant parts. (Roots = carrots; stems, asparagus; leaves = lettuce; flowers = broccoli or cauliflower; fruit = tomatoes, peppers; seeds = corn, peas, beans, sunflower seeds)

Additional MAITC Resources


AgK - Plant Animal or Both
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